further. “Musicians.”
“C’mon. I lived like that. That Tug kid is probably protecting him from a lot worse things than malnutrition.”
“But where will they sleep if it rains?” The sky was already spitting mist and the leaden clouds didn’t look promising.
“Tug’s got one of those two-man tents. I saw it on the beach a few nights ago.”
“Is that legal?”
“No, but the local police won’t move them along unless they build a fire. They might issue a warning.”
“It must be awfully cold at night.”
“It’ll be okay, mother hen. They’ve got their love to keep them warm.”
“And Callie.”
“Right. That dog’s probably like a furnace in a small tent.”
I sighed and let him drag me back to the bar where Jim and Shawn waited to hear what we’d learned.
“Did you find them?” asked Shawn.
“They’re okay.” Cooper ordered another soda. “They’re both adults.”
“If Beck’s telling the truth,” I said.
Shawn grabbed my shoulder. “Say again?”
I repeated my words, adding, “I think Tug is taking advantage.”
Shawn looked to Cooper, who shrugged. “It’s Beck’s life.”
“So, you didn’t offer them a room at our place?” Shawn asked.
Cooper shook his head. “Didn’t have a good feeling about it.”
“Tug seemed pretty suspicious of our motivation,” I said. “Well, mine anyway.”
Shawn never bothered containing or controlling his laughter. It sounded like pure happiness. “He obviously didn’t realize your only concern is the dog.”
“What do you mean? I’m concerned about the boys too.” I was about to be ribbed. Again.
“C’mon. You don’t even see people unless they’re dragging around a pet,” said Cooper.
“I’ve got lots on my mind, okay?” I downed my drink. “Speaking of…I’ve got to hit the road. Nice seeing you.”
Shawn and Cooper hugged me. Jim waved from behind the bar.
I was on foot, so I took the long way home. It meant taking the boardwalk and possibly passing by Beck and Tug again. Was I already in too deep over a stranger?
Yes. Yes, I was.
They needed a roof over their heads. Nutritious meals. None of them were getting that. If money was as tight as I believed it to be, Tug had no business spending it on booze. I’d watched Beck with Callie. He’d never forgive himself if anything happened to her. Yet even though it made me distinctly uneasy, I couldn’t tell him he ought not to have a dog in his situation. He and Callie were obviously devoted to each other.
I believed it was wrong to take on pets—or people—to whom you couldn’t give one hundred percent. Who was I to judge?
Just someone who’d learned that lesson in every way possible.
Chapter Four
At six in the morning, I unlocked the door to the clinic and killed the alarms. We took turns sleeping in the clinic—April, Travis, and I—but only if we had animals who needed overnight care. I’d toyed with the idea of adding another vet to the practice, but so far that hadn’t been necessary. It would have been great to share my responsibilities with another DVM—especially on days after I’d been up all night—but it didn’t make fiscal sense. The clinic needed to be a lot busier before I could seriously consider that.
I followed the sound of soft snores and found Travis asleep on the cot in my office next to our current box of abandoned kittens. We often found pets, especially kittens, abandoned outside our back door. The little guys’ eyes were barely open, and for now, they required around-the-clock feeding with KMR—kitten milk replacement.
Travis had left unofficial feeding notes on the box, and I saw I could afford to let them all sleep for a while.
As I got coffee started, someone pounded on the back door.
I’d barely cracked it open when Beck fell inside with a nervous Callie at his heels. His breaths hitched as if he’d run. Tears streaked his face.
“What is it? What happened?”
He swiped angrily at his eyes. “Tug stole all my stuff last night. My God. I can’t believe he’d—”
“Slow down.” I gripped his shoulders. “I don’t understand. What happened?”
He sniffled. “I woke up this morning and Tug was just…gone. He took everything. He took my guitar.”
“Okay. Take a deep breath.” I locked the door and he let me guide him to one of the chairs in the waiting room. “You want coffee?”
“I want my shit back.”
“Sit down and tell me what happened.” I took one of the folding chairs and sat opposite.
“We got into a humongous fight last night.” He drew in a shuddering breath. “He was high, and—”
“On what?”
“I don’t know. Meth, probably. He used to have a…a drug